Dihydromikanolide Inhibits ROS-Mediated NLRP3 Inflammation via Antioxidant Nrf2 Activation and Mitophagy Induction in LPS/ATP-Stimulated Macrophages.

Dihydromikanolide (DHK) is a natural product in Mikania species. We examined the anti-inflammatory molecular mechanisms of DHK employing in vitro RAW264.7 macrophages and in vivo BALB/c mice under LPS/ATP stimulation.

A highly hydroxylated 6-tin oxide cluster serves as an efficient e-beam and EUV-photoresist to achieve high-resolution patterns.

A carboxylated-free cluster, formulated as (BuSn)O(OH) (2) was synthesized from the reaction of (BuSn)OCl(MeCO) (1) with LiOH (aq.) in cold tetrahydrofuran (THF). This synthesis marks the first successful demonstration of complete decarboxylation of a metal carboxylate cluster using LiOH, resulting in the formation of a carboxylate-free metal oxide cluster.

Exploring the Relationship between Gut Microbiome Composition and Blood Indole-3-acetic Acid in Hemodialysis Patients.

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a protein-bound uremic toxin resulting from gut microbiota-driven tryptophan metabolism, increases in hemodialysis (HD) patients. IAA may induce endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress, elevating cardiovascular and cognitive risk in HD patients. However, research on the microbiome-IAA association is limited.

Highly hydroxylated hafnium clusters are accessible to high resolution EUV photoresists under small energy doses.

This work reports the success in accessing high-resolution negative-tone EUV photoresists without radical chain growth in the aggregation mechanism. The synthesis of a highly hydroxylated HfO(OH)(RCO) cluster 3 (R = -butyl or -Bu) is described; its EUV performance enables high resolution patterns HP = 18 nm under only 30 mJ cm. This photoresist also achieves high resolution patterns for e-beam lithography.

Unusual core engineering on a copper hydride nanoball.

A neutral polyhydrido copper cluster, [CuH{SCNBu}] (abbreviated as [CuH]), was prepared by the reaction of dithiocarbamates (dtc), Cu(I) salts and NaBH. The isolated cluster provides insights into core engineering, demonstrating its novel ability to reversibly add or remove one copper atom from the cluster core. Single-crystal X-ray analysis reveals that the new core-shell structure exhibits a Cu rhombicuboctahedral outer cage and an inner Cu triangular kernel.

Verbascoside and isoverbascoside ameliorate transforming growth factor β1-induced collagen expression by lung fibroblasts through Smad/non-Smad signaling pathways.

Aims: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, irreversible, and debilitating lung disease that typically leads to respiratory failure, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Few drugs are effective for the treatment of patients with PF or for reducing the rate of disease progression.

Main Methods: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a profibrotic cytokine that signals through Smad and non-Smad pathways.

Coenzyme Q Inhibits NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation through Mitophagy Induction in LPS/ATP-Stimulated Macrophages.

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) analogs with a variable number of isoprenoid units have exhibited as anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant molecules. Using novel quinone derivative CoQ (2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone, zero side chain isoprenoid), we studied its molecular activities against LPS/ATP-induced inflammation and redox imbalance in murine RAW264.7 macrophages.

Star-ECG: Visualization of Electrocardiograms for Arrhythmia and Heart Rate Variability.

Conventional electrocardiograms (ECG) are displayed in one dimension. Reading one-dimensional ECG waveform becomes challenging when one wants to visualize the heart rate variability with naked eye. Some ECG visualization techniques have been proposed.

Sweet Olive Extract Attenuates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice.

Sweet olive ( flowers) is used to treat dysentery and reduce phlegm and stasis in traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, we found that verbascoside, the major component in the sweet olive ethanolic extract (OFE), inhibited IL-8 secretion in human colorectal adenocarcinoma WiDr cells. However, evidence-based treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with the extract is yet to be performed.

Using Flow Cytometry to Isolate Maize Meiocytes for Next Generation Sequencing: A Time and Labor Efficient Method.

Meiosis is essential during sexual reproduction to generate haploid gametes. Genomic or epigenomic studies of meiosis in multicellular organisms using next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods have been limited because of the difficulty of collecting thousands to millions of meiocytes. Here, we describe a simple protocol to efficiently isolate maize male meiocytes from formaldehyde-fixed samples for NGS techniques that require chemical crosslinking to preserve complex interactions or chromatin architecture.

Predictors of smoking cessation in Taiwan: using the theory of planned behavior.

This study aimed to explore the factors predicting the intention to quit smoking and the subsequent behavior 6 months later using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Data were obtained from 145 smokers who attended a smoking cessation clinic in a community hospital. All participants completed a questionnaire which included demographic information, TPB-based items, perceived susceptibility and previous attempts to quit.

Geographical variations in bacterial communities associated with soft coral Scleronephthya gracillimum.

Environmental impacts can alter relationships between a coral and its symbiotic microbial community. Furthermore, changes in the microbial community associated with increased seawater temperatures can cause opportunistic infections, coral disease and death. Interactions between soft corals and their associated microbes are not well understood.

Suppression of IL-8 Release by Sweet Olive Ethanolic Extract and Compounds in WiDr Colon Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Oxidative stress can stimulate the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and the metastatic spread of colorectal cancer. The flowers of Osmanthus fragrans (sweet olive) are used to alleviate dysentery with blood in the bowel, as well as stomach ache and diarrhea.

Frequency and pattern of Chinese herbal medicine prescriptions for urticaria in Taiwan during 2009: analysis of the national health insurance database.

Background: Large-scale pharmaco-epidemiological studies of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for treatment of urticaria are few, even though clinical trials showed some CHM are effective. The purpose of this study was to explore the frequencies and patterns of CHM prescriptions for urticaria by analysing the population-based CHM database in Taiwan.

Methods: This study was linked to and processed through the complete traditional CHM database of the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan during 2009.

Significant relationship between serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and children with Kawasaki disease and coronary artery lesions.

Background/purpose: The aim of this study was to understand the association between Kawasaki disease (KD) in children and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), which is a sensitive indicator of inflammation, lipid profiles and coronary artery lesions.

Methods: Between July 2005 and December 2007, 119 children with KD at least 1 year after diagnosis were recruited. The children were classified into one of two groups: Group I comprised 55 children with KD and coronary aneurysms; Group 2 comprised 64 children with KD and normal coronary arteries.

The role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in acute exacerbation of asthma in children.

Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to test the connection between acute M. pneumoniae infection and the exacerbation of asthma. The clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma infection seen during emergent visits in asthmatic children were reviewed.

Retaining of the assembly capability of vimentin phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2.

Intermediate filament (IF) networks can be regulated by phosphorylation of unit proteins, such as vimentin, by specific kinases leading to reorganization of the IF filamentous structure. Recently, we identified mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2 (MAPKAP kinase-2) as a vimentin kinase (Cheng and Lai [1998] J. Cell.